Day Hike Ideas

[SctDad]

We have a day hike coming up next month. I have looked in the BALOO manual and they have some ideas. What I am looking for is has anyone come up with any ideas that would work for day hikes.

 

Here is what I was thinking of: Alphabet Hike. Along the route there is a small campsite where I was thinking about having a campfire (Not a nighttime one) and letting the boys roast some marshmallows. Then after that maybe finishing the hike back to the cars. Just a little fun day and keeping the boys interest.

 

I was also thinking about showing some teamwork by having each one bring an ingrediant for trail mix and mixing it and then dividing it up among everyone there. Does anyone have a list of ingrediants that will work good for the trailmix.

[Rythos]

We do a "healthier" trail mix with cinnamon life, kix, crasins (could use rasins instead) banana chips, sunflower seeds and goldfish

 

Ry

[ManyHats]

For our Bear requirement to make trail mix for a hike, we used the following.

pretzels

raisins

chex

peanuts (make sure no allergies)

mini m&ms

sunflower seeds

cheese-its

[AnniePoo]

Get a bunch of paint color cards from the store in greens & browns. Give them to the kids and have them look for things in those colors on the hike.

 

 

[Karen_216]

My son has peanut allergies so this is what we use and we love it!!

Teddy grahams

mini preztels

Mixed dried tropical fruits

raisins and craisins

dried bananas

Chex cereal

 

We did it as a den meeting and set all ingredients on a table. Gave them each a plastic spoon and bag and allowed them two scoops of each (more of cereal).

you can also do a scvenger hunt on the way- find a twisted small twig, dried leaf, acorn, etc.

also if you can ge them to stop on the way and be completely quiet and listen - identofy the sounds they hear.

Couldn't get my wolves to be quiet long enough!!

[clydesdale115]

I love day hiking with Cubs! Singing every hiking cadence we can think of, and making up some along the way! A friend's Pack recently started a Hiking Program. Besides campouts, they schedule a small 1 to 3+ mile hike each month. Patches are awarded at 10 miles, 20 miles, etc.

 

Not sure about having a campfire along the way. That'll be a big time consumer - building the fire, making s'mores, putting the fire cold out before you leave. Maybe you could have all the fixin's for your trail mix at that campsite (can someone go ahead and set it up?) and let the boys make their trail mix at that point. Then head back to the cars.

 

Some hikes we have done:

ABC Hike, Silent Hike (this is great for nighttime), Color Hike, Hula-Hoop hike (lay your hoop on the ground, what can you find in the circle?), Inch-High Hike (take rulers along).

 

Could you do some basic Orienteering along the way? Compass use, looking at trail maps, that sort of thing.

 

Our trail mix recipe is similar to ManyHats. We just leave out the peanuts, just in case. Also include mini-marshmallows and Goldfish.

 

clyde

 

 

 

[printman31]

Another choice you have is to teach the kids different ways of starting a fire. Making fire starters is yet another option. But one thing you should consider is show the kids how to perform water filtration. If you don't know how it's real easy. Just grap some charcoal(not Kingsford)wood that's been burned in a campfire. Make sure you have no unburned wood & only that charred wood. Place the charcoal in a hankerchief & pound it into a powder. Place hankey over a container & slowly pour water over the charcoal. The water turns black but it's very drinkable. Most importantly, Don't make the hike too long if you're going to have younger Cubs.Or have an alt route where another leader can take the smaller kids back.We've gone on hikes as a pack that were setup mainly for Weblos.By the time the hike was 1/2 over.The tiger & wolf dens were so tired & turned off that they never went on another hike.

[shortridge]

* Knot Hike. Have stations set up along the way, or just take rope and stop at pre-determined points. If they're especially proficient, turn it into a competition or relay.

 

* Readyman Hike - for Webelos. Requires a bit more planning and staffing, but set up stations with adult/den chief volunteers needing "first aid" and have the Scouts give it.

 

I'd disagree with clydesdale - it doesn't take that long to get a fire going, burn some marshmallows and extinguish it. If you want to teach the boys firebuilding and -starting, then yeah, it will take longer.

[scottteng]

A point to remember hikes do not necessarily need to take place in the woods. We have a Scouter in our state who has charted historical hikes through most of the cities in the state. These have a written site plan and a script with descriptions of the buildings you are seeing. When I was a WDL I took the den on one and most of them really enjoyed it. He also has cool patches available which go on their brag vests. Hopefully someone has done something similar elsewhere. He also goes around the state and personally leads hikes the one we went on was one of those in our local area. Here is a link to his website for those in Florida:

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/rapids/8428/historicalseries.html

[OldGreyEagle]

Are you in a rural or urban area? One idea for a hike that I always liked was to "hike" around the local football/baseball stadium. Around the perimeter of the parking lots, all the way around. They get to see the park from all angles and all that makes up the complex. Of course, a little scouting is needed to see if its a good idea for your location, but most times its a blast